Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-04
4 POET AND AN ACTOR.
HlNl RIDERS HIS AllEUEpWIFEANDtlTS
Ills Own THROAT.
4 Poem Of passlos Written 10 Blood BY Fol
Robert Hall Murders the Vile Of Another Actor
Whom lie Claims as Ills Own Spouse,
and Attempts Suicide

PHILAnELrHIA, June 3. - Robert G..
Hall, aged ihirty-tour years killed Mrs.
Lillian Rivers, aged thirty years, about
sever o'clock this morning, ut No. 933
North Tenth street, where the couple have
been living rs man aid wife under the
name of Burton.
Mrs. Rivers was the wife of James W
Rivers, an actor known to the profession as
James Reynolds.
A remarkable coincidence with the pre-
sent tragedy was the attempt of Rivers to
kill Mrs. Rivers on April 10 for keeping
company with the man Hall, who to-day
succeeded in doing what Rivers had at
tempted two months ago.
On the date mentioned, Rivers shot ut
his wife, hut inflicted only a slight wound
in the hlp. He then shot himself in the
head and breast and lay in the hospital for
several weeks, but subsequently recovered,
and with his son and daughter he left yes
terday for Topeka, Kansas.
Hall is poet and actor, hut has not been
very successful in either of these professions.
He and Mrs. Rivers have been intimate for
some time, but the lady with whom they
boarded says they have been lately quarrel
ing a great deal.
Last evening after q quarrel, Mrs. Rivers
lett the house and remained all niglh with
an acquaintance on Eleventh street. Early
this morning she had warran. issued for
Halls arrest, charging him with assault
and battery. Before the warrant was
| served, however, she visited Hall in his
room, and the landlady, few minutes
later, heard pistol shots in the room. 4
policeman was called and Mrs. Rivers was
found dead, with two bullet holes in hel
head and her throat cut from ear to ear.
Hall was lying on the floor unconscious,
he having cut his throat with razor. lie
was removed to the German Hospital, and
it is thought his Injuries will not prove
| fatal.
Several letters written by Hall were
| found in the room, the contents oi which
showed that the deed was premeditatcd.
4 sealed letter was addressed 10 James
! Rivers, Topeka, Kansas, and another,
which was unsealed, WAS directed to Hall )
father, John NJ. T.. Hall, No. 2l27 Morgan
street, st. Louis, Mo. 1t is dated May Is,
and informed his father that by the time
the letter reached him his life would have
been ended by his own hand.
| Hall left letter addressed to the cOrO-
ncr asking that his father, who resides in
st. Louis, he notified Of his death, and re-
qucsting such disposition TO he made of his
body rs his father may direct. The letter
is dated May -, and stated he takes the
life of himself and wife Mrs. Rivers he
cause Of the lattcr's faithlcssncss, accusing
her of intimacy with Il man named
! Arnold. In the room was also
found marriage contract signed
! Robert G.. Burton and Lillian +. Rivers,
on which they pledge themselves in mar
riagc ''thc same as though such had been
cOnsummatcd by ceremony When Hall
found this morning that his efforts to take
his life were unavailing, he tore the ilesl
from the wound with his hands. At The
hospital this afternoon the physicians en-
tcrtaincd very little hope Of his recovery
Tie is very weak from loss of blood, and i,
in very prccaTiOus condition.